Teofimo Lopez Sr. questions Shakur Stevenson's championship status

Teofimo Lopez Sr. has dismissed the legitimacy of Shakur Stevenson's divisional championships. He argued that Stevenson's titles were obtained through vacant belt opportunities rather than by defeating reigning champions.

Lopez Sr. made these comments while discussing Teofimo Lopez Jr.'s upcoming August 22 challenge against WBA welterweight champion Rolando Romero in Las Vegas. He stated that his son aims to become a legitimate three-division world champion by going directly for the title holder without involving vacant belts.

However, Stevenson is a four-division world champion. He won his first title against Joet Gonzalez for the vacant WBO featherweight belt in 2019 and later stopped the reigning WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring in 2021. He also secured the vacant WBC lightweight title by defeating Edwin De Los Santos in November 2023.

Stevenson's fourth title was won by taking the WBO light welterweight belt from Teofimo Lopez in January, a victory achieved by defeating a reigning champion. Lopez Sr. also criticized Stevenson's fighting style, describing him as a boring fighter who is too chinny and avoids being hit.

Lopez Sr. expressed a desire to face Stevenson before the boxer moves into higher weight classes. He also suggested that Teofimo fought the wrong way during their previous encounter, claiming his son should have boxed from the back foot instead of following the southpaw fighter to his right throughout the match.